Auctioneering circuitry



P 10, 1953 w. M. KENDZIOREK ETA]. 3, 03,594

AUCTIONEERING CIRCUITRY Filed March 51, 1960 A kw WITNESSES INVENTORSWolfgang M. Kendziorek 8 Samuel J.Gorre1t ATTORNEY 3,103,594AUCTIONEERING CIRCUITRY Wolfgang M. Kendziorek, Monroeville, and SamuelJ. Garrett, Wilkins Township, Allegheny County, Pa., assignors toWestinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporationof Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 31, 196i), Ser. No. 18,949

4 Claims. (Cl. 307-88) This invention relates to electric circuitryknown in the trade as auctioneering circuitry.

The normal auctioneering circuit is one in which the highest of two ormore signals determines the output signal. A circuit is also knownwherein the lowest signal of a plurality of signals determines theoutput signal.

The known circuitry was, however, found not to satisfy the demands ofmodern systems with regard to output mange, linearity, and accuracy. Tomeet the exacting demands of present-day electrical control systems thecircuitry herein disclosed was developed.

One object of this invention is the provision of auctioneering circuitryhaving an increased accuracy over heretofore known auctioneeringcircuitry. 7

Another object of this invention is the provision of auctioneeringcircuitry having increased accuracy and linearity.

' It isstill -a further object of this invention to provideauctioneering circuitry having increased accuracy 1 and linearity and afaster response time than auctioneering circuitry heretofore known.

it is an object of this invention to provide so-called auctioneeringcircuitry wherein selectively either the lowest input signal or thehighest input signal controls the output of the circuitry.

The objects stated (are merely illustrative. Other objects andadvantages will become more apparent from a study of the followingspecification and the accompanying drawing, in which FIGURE I1 shows anauctioneering circuit selectively responsive either to the lowestcurrent signal or the highest current signal; and

FIG. 2 shows la curve illustrating the magnetic characteristics of thecore material of the magnetic amplifier MA shown in FIG. 1 directlybelow the curve shown by this figure.

In 'FIG. 1 the current input signals of different magnitudes aresupplied across terminals .1, 2., 3, 4, and the ground terminal '5. Theinvention is not limited to four input signals but for the scope ofsimplicity, circuitry for only four current input signals, as i i i andi.,, are shown in FIG. 1.

Resistors R R R and R are connected across the respective pairs of inputterminals comprising 1 and 5, 2 and '5, 3 and 5, 4 and 5, respectively.

Assuming the selector switch SW is in the position shown, then thediodes D81, D52, D83, and D84 used for selecting the lowest input signalas the controlling signal are connected in the circuit as shown and arepoled as indicated. When the selector switch SW is moved to its loweroperative position, then the diodes DL4, DL3, DLZ and DL1 used forselecting the highest input signal as the controlling signal, areconnected in the circuit as shown and are poled as indicated.

United States Patent portion of the potentiometer P0 to the groundconduc- 3,1il3 ,594 Patented Sept. 10, 1963 is adjustable and isdetermined by the position of the tap 8 on the potentiometer P0.

The gating winding N is connected in a circuit that may be traced fromthe ground conductor 5, which ground terminal is also the left-handterminal of the secondary winding of the voltage supply transformer T,through the gating winding N,,, the diode DL, terminal 9, load resistorRL, terminal =10, all of the sections of the potentiometer P0 to theground terminal 5. The gating voltage V is thus determined by thepotential across the terminals 5 and 10. A filter, to dampen out ripplesin each of the input signals, such as the capacitors shown, may beconnected across each of the resistors.

-In the following discussion the algebraic terms used have the followingmeanings;

The direct current input signal currents at terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 aredesignated i i i and i respectively.

The gating voltage, reset voltage and the voltage drop across the gatingwindings, are designated V V,, and V,, respectively. Referencecharacters R R R and R refer to the resistors as well as the resistancevalues of these resistors.

K is a proportionality constant.

N=coil turns.

N,=effective coil turns of the reset winding and also designates thereset winding.

Ng=effective coil turns of the gating winding and also designates thegating wind-ing.

e, designates the saturating flux and 11),, designates the flux levelafter resetting.

f designates the frequency of the alternating current.

When the selector switch SW is in the position shown the circuitry isarranged for auctioneering the lowest input signal.

To understand the operation, let the assumption be that the core SL1 ofthe magnetic amplifier MA is at positive saturation, as at point a onthe curve shown in FIG. 2, and i i =i =l 4.

The alternating current gating voltage, V is blocked during the firsthalf cycle by the rectifying diode DL. As the alternating current resetvoltage, V,, increases the rectifying diodes D81, D82, D83, and D84block any current flow until V, becomes equal to the voltage, or i RHence, for proper operation, V must be less than V for part of the resethalf cycle. For any values of the reset voltage that are equal to Vnamely, the

voltage drop across resistor R or greater than this voltodes DS2, D83,and D84 will be v, -v,, v, v,, and

V --V respectively. In view of the polarity of the voltage across theserectifying diodes D82, D53, and D84, these diodes will be blocking. Thevoltage across the reset winding N is thus given by:

Taking the half cycle average value,

On the next, or gating, half cycle V is blocked by the and R was 400ohms, and R 1,000 ohms. were alltyp-e IN45 9. The resistance value orthe potentianctioneering operation.

value of the load voltage is given by:

V avg.=V avg- V avg.=V,; avg.K2N,,(,-,,)f

By substituting from Equation 2 into Equation 3: (4) avg. V avg.- %(Vavg.V avg.)

Since V is a variable that can be readily selected to be of anydesirable value, by suitable adjustment of the tap 8 on thepotentiometer P0, it is apparent that N V avg. N i R V Nr Thus, theaverage output voltage appearing across ter minals 9 and 10 variesdirectly as the average value of the lowest input signal current. v

The output voltage is amplified by the linear lificr shown and is usedfor whatever control purpose needed. This circuitrydisclosed provides acircuit that senses the lowest of twojor-rnore electrical signals,amplifies the selected signal, and transmits the amplified signal toindi- I eating, controlling or recording means.

For the particular application made of this invention the resistancevalue of each. of the resistors R R R The diodes ometer was 400 ohms forthe lett hand section and ohmsfor the right-hand section. 1

The circuitry with a reversal of the diodes D81, D52, D53 and DS4, .or.the substitution, by suitable operation of the selector switch SW, ofdiodes DLl, DLZ, DL3, DL4, and 2DL, and other minor changes, the manskilled diodes D51, D32, D53, and D84. The half cycle average 5 minaland common terminal being energized from the in the art can make, in thelight of the present disclosure, v

the circuit senses the highest of two or more electrical signals toeffect indication or control similar to auctioneering of the lowestsignal.

Further, only static components, as silicon or selenium diodesandmagnetic amplifiers are used'to perform the 1 The comparison of thisauctioneering circuit with heretofore known auctioneering circuitsrevealed that increased reliability and increas'ed'accuracy, linearityand faster response times are obtained. V I

While the auctioneering circuitry disclosed involves one embodiment,this invention is not limited to the subject matter shown. In the lightor disclosure, changes in details of construction and the combinationand arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scopeand'spirit of this invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an auctioneering circuit wherein the lowest electrical inputsignal of two orfmore' input signals determines the output voltage, incombination, a magnetic amplifier having a gating winding and a resetwinding,

a common terminal, a common conductor, a load diode, a load unit, anoutput conductor, a first separate terminal,

- a second separate terminal, the reset winding being conneoted acrossthe common conductor and the first separate terminal, the gating Windingand the load diode being connected in series are connected across thecommon terminal and the output conductor with the load diode beingconnected to conduct toward the output conductor,

said load unit being connected across the output conductor and saidsecond separate terminal, a plurality ofparallelly connected inputcircuits each comprising a diode, an

input terminal, and an impedance connected acrossthe common conductorand the common terminal, with the r diodes connected to conduct awayfrom the common con ductor, said second separate'terminal and commonterminal being energized by an alternating current of a I selectedfrequency and a voltage selected to drive the core of the magneticamplifier well into positive saturation during the gating half cycle,said first separate tersame source of alternating current supplied tothe second separate terminal and common terminal but at a voltagedetermined by the magnitude. of the smallest input signal supplied tothe input terminals,

2. In an auctio-neering circuit wherein the lowest electrical inputsignal of two or more input signals determines the output voltage, incombination, a magnetic amplifier having a gating winding and aresetwinding, a common terminaL'a common conductor, a load diode a load unit,an output conductor, a first separate terminal,

a second separate terminal, the reset winding being'connected across thecommon conductor and the first separate terminal, the gating winding andthe load diode being connected, in series, are connected across thecommon terminal aandthe output conductor with the load diode beingconnected to conduct toward the output conductor,

said load unit being connected across the output con;

ductor and said second separate terminal, amplifying means connected tosaid load unit, output circuitry con neoted to said amplifying means, aplurality of parallelly' connected input circuits, each comprising adiode, an input W terminal, and an impedance connected across the commonconductor and, the common terminal, with the diodes connected tocond-uctaway from the common conductor, said second separate terminaland common terminal being energized by an alternating current of aselected frequency and a voltage selected to drive the core of themagnetic amplifier well into positive saturation during the gating halfcycle, said first separate terminal and common terminal being energize-dfrom the same source of alternating current supplied to the secondseparate, terminaland common terminal but at a voltage determined 'bythe magnitude of the smallest input signal supplied to the inputterminals. r t

3. In an auctioneering circuit wherein the lowest electric input signalor two or more input signals deter-mines the outputvoltage, incombination, terminals energized with an alternating current of aselected potential, rectifying means, a magnetic amplifier having agating winding operatively connected to said terminals and tosaidrectifying' means which istpoled to conduct when energized withalternating current only during the gating half cycle,

potentiometer means connected, to said terminals, a plurality ofrectifyingdiodes operatively connected in paralilel having one type ofelectrode commonly connected, each of said rectifying diodes beingprovided with an input terminal at the other electrode, a reset windingt operatively connected to said potentiometer mean-s :and to saidplurality of diodes, said plurality of rectifying diodes being poledsoythat said reset winding conducts when energized with alternatingcurrent only during the resetting half cycle, with the time period ofconduction being 7 determined by the relationship of the smallest inputsignalsupplied to one of said input terminals and the :voltage selectedby said potentiometer means.

4. In an auctloneeringcirouit wherein 'the'lowest electric input signalof two or more inputsignals determines the output voltage, incombination, terminals energized with an alternating current of aselected potential, rectifying means, amagnetic amplifier having agating wind- 5 ing, with said terminal, 1 said gating winding and saidrectifying means being connected in a series circuit relationship toconduct when energized with alternating current only during the gatinghalf cycle, potentiometer means connected to said terminals, a pluralityof rectifying diodes operatively connected in parallel having one typeof electrode commonly connected, each diode having a.

separate input terminal at the other electrode, a reset windingconnected to said potentiometer means, a plurality of rectifying diodes,a reset winding connected to the smallest opposing input signal suppliedto one of said input terminals, and means fior amplifying the output ofthe gating winding.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,712,065 Elbourn et a l June 28, 1955 2,725,549 Dunnet Nov. 29, 19552,862,197 Ringel-man et al Nov. 25, 1958 2,896,091 Nuttall et a1. July 21, 1959 2,959,684 Bonn Nov. 8, 1960 2,967,949 Loewe Jan. 10, 19613,041,468 Bonn et a1. June 26, 1962

3. IN AN AUCTIONEERING CIRCUIT WHEREIN THE LOWEST ELECTRIC INPUT SIGNALOF TWO OR MORE INPUT SIGNALS DETERMINES THE OUTPUT VOLTAGE, INCOMBINATION, TERMINALS ENERGIZED WITH AN ALTERNATING CURRENT OF ASELECTED POTENTIAL, RECTIFYING MEANS, A MAGNETIC AMPLIFIER HAVING AGATING WINDING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID TERMINALS AND TO SAIDRECTIFYING MEANS WHICH IS POLED TO CONDUCT WHEN ENERGIZED WITHALTERNATING CURRENT ONLY DURING THE GATING HALF CYCLE, POTENTIOMETERMEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TERMINALS, A PLURALITY OF RECTIFYING DIODESOPERATIVELY CONNECTED IN PARALLEL HAVING ONE TYPE OF ELECTRODE COMMONLYCONNECTED, EACH OF SAID RECTIFYING DIODES BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INPUTTERMINAL AT THE OTHER ELECTRODE, A RESET WINDING OPERATIVELY CONNECTEDTO SAID POTENTIOMETER MEANS AND TO SAID PLURALITY OF DIODES, SAIDPLURALITY OF RECTIFYING DIODES BEING POLED SO THAT SAID RESET WINDINGCONDUCTS WHEN ENERGIZED WITH ALTERNATING CURRENT ONLY DURING THERESETTING HALF CYCLE, WITH THE TIME PERIOD OF CONDUCTION BEINGDETERMINED BY THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SMALLEST INPUT SIGNAL SUPPLIED TOONE OF SAID INPUT TERMINALS AND THE VOLTAGE SELECTED BY SAIDPOTENTIOMETER MEANS.